The method is simple, according to Rex Murray, research leader at NCAUR's Bio-Oils Research Unit. When functionalized oil is mixed with water contaminated with toxic heavy metals, certain atoms in the oil bind to the heavy metals and pull them from the water. This allows clean water to separate from the heavy-metal-containing oil, allowing for removal from the environment.

Water contaminated with heavy metals can pose environmental concerns and serious health problems. Using vegetable oils to clean up heavy metals is environmentally friendly, because vegetable oils are biodegradable, nontoxic, and are derived from renewable resources.

In the past, NCAUR scientists have found other beneficial uses for vegetable oils, which include use as inks, lubricants and diesel fuel.

ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief in-house scientific research agency.